Hoist



Sept. 7, 1948. I LAwLER 2,448,674

' HOIST 7 Filed April 25, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- FRANK P. LAwLeR 41mm m} I ATTOIIYNEY F. P.- LAWLER Sept. 7, 1948.

nors r 4 Shasta-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, ,1945' INVENTOR. FRANK P. LAWLER F. P. LAWLER 4 Skate-Shoot 3 Filed April 23. 1945 WM 924%? Q, I ATTURIVEY m m m b u m B NN N\ N N \N h. \N N N MN N\ v\ 5 E R k N 2.: I: MN a i m W \I m m I Q Q I: Qw Q 5 U Q Q U Q Q Patented s 1, 1248 Frank P. Lawler, Chicago, 111.. assignor of onethlrd to Charles H. Grant, San Franoisom. Ca1ii., one-third to Frank P. Lawler, Chicago, glliuand one-third to Paul 1. Tyler, Oroville,

Application All! 23.1945, Serial No. 589.921

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a hoist which is particularly designed for application to tractors and like power-operated machines, and especially to improvements in the operation and positioning of the clutches whereby power transmission to the hoist is controlled.

In my prior patents, No. 2,199,668, No. 2,354,386,

No. 2,242,193, No. 2,350,120, and No. 2,354,387, and in fact in all commercially manufactured hoists of this character now in use, power is transmitted from a power takeofl' shaft on the tractor through a series of reduction gears and then through a clutch to a cable drum of the hoist.

In a hoist of this character, it is obvious that the power takeoil-shaft and all of the reduction gears'are running or in operation at.all times and the cable drum only when the clutch is engaged. This sults in unnecessary wear and tear to the constantly moving parts and it also increases power consumption particularly when the tractor is doing other work and the hoist drum is inoperative over long periods. In addition it also increases the difllcul-ty of shifting gears in the main transmission of the tractor due to parasitic drag or, in other words, the inertia resulting from the revolving mass of all the parts in motion.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify construction and operation of hoists of the character described; to provide a hoist in which substantially all of the reduction gear train remains idle or stationary at all times, except when the hoist drum is in actual operation, so as to eliminate parasitic drag, reduce power' consumption and minimize unnecessary wear and tear. A further object is to position the clutch whereby the cable drum is controlled at the point of power input rather than at the end of the reduction gear train as has heretofore been practiced; and further, to provide a structure which permits the use of a drum having a large barrel diameter to reduce bending stresses in the cable and abrasion resulting from piling of the cable, thereby minimizing cable wear, said drum also functioning as a housing for the reduction gear train, the clutch mechanism and the brake.

The hoist is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partially in section showing a single drum hoist;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation taken on line'II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line III-III of Fig. 1 showing the brake arrangement;

2 Fig. 4 is a crosssection taken on of Fig. 1;-

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a-double drum hoist, said view being partially in section; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic end elevation showing a combined brake and clutch control mechanism.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and par-- ticularly Fig. 5, A indicates in general a drive gear housin the inner end of which is provided with a flange 2 whereby it may be bolted or otherwise secured to a suitable support, for instance the transmission gear housing of a tractor or the like.

Extending into the housing A and Journaled in bearings mounted therein is a power takeoff shaft 3 on which is secured a bevel gear I. Extending through the housing in a direction transverse to the power takeoil shaft is an intermediate shaft B and secured thereto is a bevel gear 5 which is in constant mesh with the gear I.

Secured on opposite sides of the housing A are a pair of cable drum housings (2-0 and disposed in each of said housings and in alignment with the intermediate shaft B are a pair of driven shafts E-E. Formed on opposite sides of the housing A are hub-like extensions 'l1 and secured to the outer end of each of the housings 0-0 are planet gear carrier housings 8-8. Inasmuch as the cable drums are driven in an identical manner, and the same mechanism. is employed, the description of one ,will suillce, and similar numerals have also been applied to the corresponding parts of Fig. 1. I

Disposed within the housing C is a cable drum 10 which is iournaled at the outer end on the planet gear carrier 8 by means of bearing 12 and at the inner end on the hub-like extension I by bearing 13 and as such the drum is free to rotate within its housing C. A reduction gear trainconnects the cable drum with its adjacent driven shaft. Any suitable type of reduction gear drive may be employed. In this instance a sun pinion I4 is splined or otherwise mounted to be driven by the driven shaft E. This sun gear meshes with a plurality of planetary gears II which are Journaledon pins ll secured in the planet gear carrier I as by bolts I. The planetary gears in turn mesh with an internal gear 11 which is secured to y the cable drum. One annular flange such as shown at II is formed at the outer end of the cable drum and this flange is supported by and rotates about the bearing 12. An annular-cover flange 18 is secured on the other side of the ring gear and rotates about a steady bearing ill. Oil seals are placed at the points indicated at 21 and u e IV-IV 22, thus permitting lubricant to be retained for the purpose of lubricating the reduction gear train and also to exclude dust, dirt and moisture. Bearings such as shown at It and 24 are disposed within the planet gear carrier 8 and these support the sun pinion M and the driven shaft 12 4- tension of which applies the brake shoes ll b! means of the cam 33. If the lever 88 is moved towards the dotted line position as indicated at clutch member 28 may be moved into and out of engagement with the cooperating member 2!.

- Any suitable means may be employed for actuating the clutch. In this instance the outer hub end 21 of the planet gear carrier U is internally threaded. An exteriorly threaded plug extends through and engages the threads. A thrust bearing 28 is disposed between the inner end of the plug and the driven shaft E. A compression spring It is disposed between the sun gear I4 and a shoulder provided on the driven shaft llv for disengaging the clutch members 25 and 28. A lever 3| may be applied to the plug member 28 and by swinging the lever in one direction, the plug moves inwardly causing the thrust bear- .ing 29 to engage the outer end of the driven shaft E and thereby move ,it longitudinally through the sun gear it so as to force the clutch member 26 into engagement with its cooperating member 25. In this manner the clutch is engaged and power is transmitted from the drive shaft 3 through lie, the brake only will be released due to link it pushing lever lid in a direction to neutralize. the tension of spring '2 and the drum III will become free reeling to lower a load. As the lever 38 is moved towards the left or to the position 1 indicated at 38b, the clutch will first be engaged due to lever II turning the plug 28, and then the brake will be released due to link ll actuating levers I! and "a in the direction necessary to neutralize the tension of spring 02. There is a slight overlap between clutch engagement and brake release when the operating-lever 3! is moved to position lib and this is due to the brake release action being delayed as a result of the telescopic gap "a provided in link for this purpose. No'particular claim'is made to'this control as it is already fully disclosed in my copending application entitled "Hoist," filed April 5, 1944, Serial No. 529,883, now Patent No. 2,418,- 267, dated April 1, 1947, but it is illustrated, nevertheless, to show that the brake and clutch mechanism may be actuated in this manner.

It was previously stated that in my patents, No. 2,354,386, etc., and in fact in all commercial manufactured hoists of this character now in general use, that power is transmitted from the power take-off shaft through a series of reduction gears and then. through a clutch to the cable drum. In hoists of this character it is obvious that the power takeoff shaft, and all of the the gears 4 and B to the intermediate shaft B, then through the clutch H to the driven shaft E and then through the planetary gears to the cable drum ill. By swinging the lever in the opposite direction, the clutch is released due to the action of spring Ill and the cable drum is disconnected from the drive.

A cable drum of this character also requires a brake. Abraking surface or drum is accordingly formed at the outer end of the cable drum to and interior thereof as indicated at 80. A brake band or shoes 8i engage this surface and they are normally held in contracted position by a spring 32 (see Fig. 3). The shoes are expanded in the usual manner by a cam 83 secured on a shaft 34 and this is in turn provided with a may be locked against rotation or it may be released for free reeling or controlled reeling as,

for instance, when lowering a load, and it shouldalso be released when the clutch His engaged. Individual levers may be employedone for the plug 28 for control of the clutch and'one for the cam' 33 whereby the brake-shoes 8| are actuated. They may be independently operated or they may be controlled from a common lever. F or-instance in Fig. 6 a common lever is employed. In this instance II indicates the main operating lever and this is pivoted as at 31. A link 38 connects this lever with the lever Ii which is secured to the plug 28. This lever has an other extension as indicated at tia. The levers ti and Sic are connected with the levers I! and 35a, through means of extensible telescopic links be held stationary by the action of spring 02, the 7s played asindicated by the levers II and BI as reduction gears are running or in operation at all times while the cable drum is in operation only when the clutch is engaged. This results in unnecessary wear and tear; it increases power consumption particularly when the tractor is doing other work, and the hoist drum is inoperative, and it increases the dimculty of shifting gears in the main transmission of the tractor due to parasitic drag, or in other words the inertia of the rotating reduction gears. All these objections are overcome in the present structure. For

instance, if the tractor is in operation, the only part of the hoist that is being driven is the power takeoff shaft 3, the gears l and I and the intermediateshaft B. If clutches H-H are disengaged, the driven shafts, the reduction gear trains, the cable drums,'- etc., will all remain statlonary. However, the moment either clutch is engaged, power will be transmitted to one or both cable drums and it is then and then only that they and their drivingparts are subjected to load and wear. The moment the clutches are disengaged, I these parts come to rest and the power unit or engine on the tractor is accordingly relieved of this load, and all parts come to rest except the power takeoff and the intermediate shaft. Power consumption is thus reduced, parasitic load which interferes with gear shifting is substantially eliminated, and so are other objectionable features.

In Fig. 1 a slightly modified form of the hoist is shown; this hoist is known as a single drum hoist and is particularly designed for industrial hoisting applications. Only two shafts are required in this single drum unit, to wit, the drive shaft ill which'may be connected in any suitable manner to any-kind of a prime mover and a driven shaft II which is connected with the drive shaft through the same type of clutch as previously described. The rest of the mechanism is identical and should require no further explanation. Individual lever control may be emshown in Figs. 1 and 2, or the common control may be employed as shown in Fig. 6.

While the dual drum structure has been described as especially designed for use on tractors and like machinery, it is obvious that this structure is adapted for other applications and uses,

' and while this and other features of the inveneach side of the central housing and secured thereto; a drive shaft joumaled in the central housing, an intermediate shaftalso journaied in said housing but at right angles to the drive shaft, a driven shaft mounted in each cable drum housing, a cable drum disposed within each cable drum housing, said intermediate and driven shaft being concentric to the cable drums, a reduction gear train mounted within each cable drum and completely enclosed thereby, said reduction gear train connecting the driven shafts with the respective cable drums, a clutch interposed between each driven shaft and the intermediate shaft, and means for selectively engaging or disengaging the respective clutches to drive both or either cable drum.

2. In a double drum hoist, a central housing, a pair of cable drumhousings disposed one on cured to one end of the housing and extending into the housing, a hub-like member formed in the opposite end of the-housing, a cable drum 'journaled at one end on the hub-like member and at the other end on the reduction gear carrier and concentric to the housing, a driven shaft and a reduction gear train journaied in the gear carrier to drive the cable drum, a hub formed on the inner end of the reduction gear carrier, a cover plate secured atits outer periphery to the cable drum and rotatable about said last-named hub, packing means preventing leakage of lubricant between the plate and the driven shaft, packing means preventing leakage each side of the central housing and secured,

cable drums when the clutches are disengaged,

a pair of control levers one for each cable drum, and means actuated by each lever for selectively engaging or disengaging eitherlthe clutch or the brake onan adjacent-cable drum.

3. In a hoist of the character described, an elongated-housing, a reduction gear carrier seof lubricant between the reduction gear carrier and the end of the cable drum journaied thereon,

and means for transmitting power to the driven shaft.

4. In a hoist of the character described, an elongated housing, a reduction gear carrier secured to one end of the housing and extending into the housing, a hub-like member formed in the opposite endof the housing, a cable drum journaied at one end on the hub-like member and at the other end on the reduction gear the gear carrier to drive the cable drum, a hub 1 formed on the inner end of the reduction gear carrier, a cover plate secured at its outer periphery to the cable drum and rotatable about said last-named hub, packing means preventing leakage of lubricant between the plate and the driven shaft, packing means preventing leakage of lubricant'between the reduction gear carrier and the end of the cable drum journaied thereon, a clutch through which power is transmitted to drive the driven shaft, a brake to arrest motion of the cable drum when said clutch is disengaged, and means for selectively engaging the clutch or the brake.

FRANK P. LAWLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the Number Name Date 1,591,884 Peters July 6, 1926 2,138,824 Yount 6, 1938 g 2,220,655 Le'Tourneau Nov. 5, 1940 2,366,433 Bridwell et al. Jan, 2, 1945 O E GN PATENTS j Number ,Country Date 1008 Australia -a- 1936 301,853 Oct. 13; 1932 

